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David Hale 9David Hale 9 

Automation and Customization Priority/Heirarchy

Is there a complete authoritative choice heirarchy for choosing which automation and customization strategy to use?  For instance I'm assuming the following list is a possible choice heirarchy might look like in order of least invasive/time to implement to most invasive/time to implement:

1.  Validation Rules
2.  Formulas
3.  Workflow Rules
4.  Apex

For example, if I need to complete a task in Salesforce, I would ask myself the question:  Can get the task done with a validation rule?  If yes, then go with that first rather than going straight to writing apex code.  If the task can't be completed through any other point and click means, then write Apex code.  However I'm relatively new at Salesforce and I don't know all of the tools between validations and apex.  I'm fairly certain I got the last one right--that Apex is a last resort.  Can anyone point me to an authoritative list of tools in order?

 
SForceBeWithYouSForceBeWithYou
For a truly enterprise application that will involve some code, the problem can become segregating your business logic across many different locations in Salesforce.  Unless the business case aligns very closely with an out-of-the-box feature from Salesforce (i.e. approval processes), I would try to use Lightning Process Builder to manage your customizations without code, and Apex to manage all other customizations.  

You can utilize Custom Settings or Custom Objects to allow users to modify the behavior of the app by including provisions in your code that respect "configurations" set by values in these tables/records.